THANKSGIVING MASS



and the life-giving breath of the Spirit.

Your gifts of nature have not exhausted Your goodness,

for the fullness of Your love is revealed in the sending of Your Son

and the giving of the Spirit.

Our hearts are moved to thankful praise,

and so we join the choirs of angels and saints

in proclaiming Your glory as we sing:

Communion Antiphon

I will give you thanks, O Lord, with my full heart, for you have answered me. (Ps 138:1,3)

Communion Reflection

As long as the sun comes over the hills, scatters the darkness and fills the world with light, as long as the fields are green again and the daisies and buttercups return; as long as the trees fill up with leaves, there is hope for us and our world. So, come, let us walk over the greening fields, for the snow has melted and life is awakening from its sleep and wanders through the hills and valleys. Come, let us follow the footsteps of spring in the far-off fields. Come, let us climb the heights and look upon the waving greenness of the plains below. O come, let us rejoice always.

Prayer after Communion

God our Father, in this sacred food you have given back to us the sacrifice we offered you in gratitude, the saving sacrament of Jesus Christ your Son. Give us strength and joy to sustain us in your service and bring us to your gift of eternal life. Amen.

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Thanksgiving Mass for Retirement

Entrance Antiphon

SING AND MAKE MUSIC TO THE LORD IN YOUR HEARTS, GIVING THANKS FOR EVERYTHING TO GOD THE FATHER IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

(Ep 5:19-20)

Opening Prayer

God and Father of all gifts, we praise you, the source of all we have and are. We praise you for the many good things your gracious love has given to us. We thank you for the work and service of ……. As we mark his/her retirement. Give him/her years of happiness and peace and the blessing of your love always. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen.

Reading from the Old Testament

A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-11,13-14

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

What gains have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. Moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. I know that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him.

Responsorial Psalm Ps. 67:1-2,6-7

Refrain: We praise your glorious name, O mighty God.

Reader: May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us. (Refrain)

Reader: That your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. (Refrain)

Reader: The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us. (Refrain)

Reader: May God continue to bless us; let all the ends of the earth revere him. (Refrain)

Gospel Acclamation

Refrain: Alleluia.

Reader: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thess 5:16-18)

Refrain: Alleluia.

Gospel

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 12:22-31

Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you

Homily & Bidding Prayers

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord, we offer you this sacrifice of praise for all you have given us even though we are unworthy of your love. May we always use your many gifts to bring glory to your name.

Preface

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always and everywhere to give You thanks,

through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

We acknowledge You as the Lord of all nations,

the Creator of land, and sea, and sky,

the Source of the wonders of nature and salvation.

Through Your Word You called all things into being,

that You might bestow on us Your love

reflected in the vastness of the universe

and the bounty of this earth.

You placed creation in our care,

yet You alone sustain all life with the gentle dew of Your Word

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